Halloween Collision Trends: A Decade of Data Reveals Increased Risks in Los Angeles County Despite Overall Decline

Data from UC Berkeley's TIMS tool shows a 20% uptick in car accidents on Halloween.

LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, October 29, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As Halloween approaches, so too does the heightened potential for increased traffic congestion due to revelers. The Ryan Law Group, a prominent personal injury law firm based in Los Angeles, has conducted an analysis of Los Angeles County car accident data over the past decade, specifically focusing on Halloween-related incidents. This study examined 11 years of data provided by UC Berkeley’s TIMS (Transportation Injury Mapping System), to uncover trends in total collisions and alcohol-related accidents.

Data was pulled for the years 2013-2023. In the 11 years analyzed, 8 of those years experienced an average increase of nearly 20% in car accidents on Halloween compared to the day before (October 30th).

The 3 years that did not see an increase in total accidents were those when Halloween fell on a Saturday or Sunday, following a Friday or Saturday. This may be because weekend days typically have higher accident rates in general, even on non-holidays.

In the study of 11 years, half of those years showed an average increase of about 82% in alcohol-related collisions. The two years that did not show any change on Halloween in these accidents compared to the previous day—2013 and 2019—were both Thursdays. Additionally, the three years with fewer alcohol-related collisions on Halloween (2016, 2022, and 2023) were those when Halloween fell on a Monday or Tuesday, following a weekend. While the holiday does appear to contribute to an increase in both collisions and alcohol-related incidents, the day of the week it falls on also has some relevance.

Raw accident location data from 2013 to 2023 was mapped and displayed on a heat map to identify areas in LA County with the highest number of car accidents on Halloween. Most of these collisions took place at major freeway interchanges, including the junction of the 10 and 110 Freeways in Downtown Los Angeles, the meeting point of the 5 and 710 Freeways in East Los Angeles, and where the 110 and 105 Freeways connect in South Los Angeles.

Overall, total collisions on Halloween have decreased by approximately 23% over the past decade. Nevertheless, it remains crucial to exercise heightened vigilance while driving on Halloween, particularly between the hours of 3 PM and 9 PM, when the majority of these incidents occur.

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The Ryan Law Group was founded by Andrew T. Ryan, Esq. to provide high-caliber representation to victims of personal injury throughout Los Angeles and Southern California.

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Brianna Porter
The Ryan Law Group
brianna@theryanlawgroup.com